Wool storage and transporting mechanism



Dec. 17, 1946. A. M. STEVENS WOOL STORAGE AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1945 Dec. 17, 1946.

A. M. STEVENS WOOL STORAGE AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Filed March 29, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 17, 1946. STEVENS 2,412,844

WOOL STORAGE AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Filed-Ma rch 29, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 flzmllsieveaw, 3 ,75 dwa- J W flifiormeya Dec. 17, 1946. A. M. STEVENS WOOL STORAGE AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM I 5 Shets-Sheet 4 Filed March 29, 1945 mm 8 cm wm on mm WM'JEGUW,

c/ifiomneggas Dec. 17, 1946. STEVENS 2,412,844

WOOL STORAGE AND'TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Filed March 29, B45 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 to t Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WOOL STORAGE AND TRAN SPORTING MECHANISM Arthur M. Stevens, Methuen, Mass. Application March 29, 1945,. SerialNm 5853539.

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for transferring masses of portablematerial from one place to. another in which overhead and underneath obstruction limit the vertical width of the path through which the transporting means travels.

More particularly the invention relates to apparatus, such as a warehouse, having a plurality of stories in which one of the stories is divided by partitions into compartments and the object of the invention is to provide a traveling crane located in proximity to the floor of the next upper story having hoisting mechanism adapted to travel above any of the compartments of the story therebeneath and capable of transferring portable material from any part of one compartment to another part thereof, or to any other compartment of said lower story or anypart of the latter.

The invention is illustrated and described herein with particular reference to warehouses in which wool is sorted and stored in an upper story from which it is dropped through suitable apertures in the fioor of the upper story into selected coinpartments or bins in the story therebeneath.

In usual warehouses for sorting and storing wool the raw Wool, which is usually delivered in bales to the warehouse, is placed in an upper story, usually the second story of the warehouse, where impurities are manually removed and the good wool which is sorted as to quality dropped through apertures in the floor of the upper story into compartments orbins, the partitions of which extend from the floor of the lower story to the floor of the upper story. The wool thus dropped into the several bins is manually spread therein throughout the area of the bins. In large war houses the spreading of the Wool in the respective bin requires the work of several hands. One of the purposes of the invention is to provide transporting mechanism under the control of a single operator which will enable him to spread the Wool evenly in the respective bins, thus avoiding the necessity of such manual labor.

In usual warehouses hand labor is employed for removing the. wool from a bin into a small box truck positioned in an aisle alongside the bin, the loaded truck being then drawn to processing machines in an adjoining building, or'loaded from the box truck into a larger truck for transportation to a greater distance.

One of the objects of the inventionis to provide transportingmechanisms under the control of a single. operator which will enable the. wool accumulated in any of the several bins to be transported to another bin or from any bin to a truck. located in. an aisle the. several bins.

Itv will be understood. thatthe invention is. not limited tov the transportation of wool but may be employed for similarly transferringand transporting other portable. materials, whether in the form. of loose masses, bales, or other forms of packages.

Another object of the invention is to provide; a temporary storage space. above the crane for wool or other material dropped through an aperture in the floor of the upper storya when the crane is therebeneath so that it will not become tang-led with the mechanism. of the carriage: or bridge.

By reason of the present invention the wool sorters' are, enabled to work uninterruptedly and drop the material through the apertures in the floor without regard to the location or operation of the crane in handling the material in the bins of the floor below.

A further object of the invention is to provide transferring or transporting mechanism of the character described in which the, traveling crane and hoisting mechanism are electrically operated and under the control of a single operator and in which means are provided for taking up the slack in the electric cable running from the point of control to the several electrically operated mechanisms.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan View of the lower story of a warehouse having a series of partitions dividing the floor area of the warehouse into a, series of bins and leaving an aisle extending longitudinally along one side of the lower story and crane adapted to travel longitudinally of said lower story having a carriage with a suitable hoisting mechanism mounted thereon adapted to travel transversely of the length ofthe lower story; with a cab for the operator suspended from the crane and provided with means for controlling the operation ofthe crane, its carriage and the hoisting mechanism mounted thereon, the aperturesin the floor of the upper story being indicated extending alongside by dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3. is a. transverse vertical sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailtransverse sectional view of a portion of the construction shown in Fig. 1 illustrating particularly the carriage hoisting mechanism mounted thereon and the storage means which holds temporarily any material which is dropped through an aperture in the floor of the upper story and prevent it from accumulating upon the carriage and the hoisting mechanism thereof, and also showing the take-up for the electric cable;

Fig. is an enlarged detail view, partially in vertical section and partially in elevation, showing particularly the take-up mechanism for the electriccable which controls the mechanism for actuating the grapple of the hoisting mechanism thereof; and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic plan view of the crane and the electrically actuated carriage and hoisting mechanism thereof and the cable take-up.

The construction illustrated shows diagrammatically in plan a lower story of a warehouse of any suitable length having vertical parallel side walls I and 2 mounted upon suitably spaced vertical posts 3. Suitable vertical partitions 4, which divide the floor space into a series of bins, extend from the vertical side wall 2 and terminate at a suitable distance from the opposite side wall 1 to provide an aisle 5 which extends alongsid the wall I. The free ends of said partitions desirably are provided with suitable braces 6 to prevent them from displacement. The upper ends of the partitions 4 terminate a predetermined narrow distance below the floor 1 of the upper story and the supporting beams 8 therefor, which will prevent the cab or grapple from passing over the top thereof from bin to bin. The floor 1 is provided with apertures 9 which preferably are located above the respective bins and through which the sorted wool may be dropped into the respective bins.

Parallel tracks It, which are mounted upon brackets H, secured to the vertical posts 3 of the respective side walls I and 2, extend longitudinally of the warehouse and support the traveling crane in such manner that its bridge can travel lengthwise of the warehouse in the narrow space above the upper ends of the partitions 4.

The bridge of the traveling crane preferably comprises parallel wide I-beams l2 and I3 the ends of which are connected by suitable girders l4 and i 5 having electrically driven rollers l6 which are mounted upon the tracks 10, as in usual constructions. Suitable tracks I! are mounted upon the inwardly extending lower flanges of the I-beams l2 and l3 0?? the bridge and extend throughout the length thereof, Figs. 4 and 6. The carriage I8 is provided with suitable rollers l9 which are mounted upon the rails .H and is adapted to travel transversely of the length of the warehouse at right angles to the direction of travel of the crane.

A cam 20 is suspended from the end portion .of the bridge of the crane which is above the aisle and is adapted therefore to travel length- .wise of said aisle in either direction as the crane is moved longitudinally of the warehouse.

, The carriage as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6 comprises parallel side plates 2i and 22 which are rigidly connected together by suitably spaced girders 23 and are provided at their ends with downwardly extending parallel plates 24 and 25 'in which the shafts 26 of the rollers iii are mounted. Suitable electrically driven mechanism for actuating the grapple of the hoisting mechadropped through any of the openings in the floor for a short period of time long enough for the crane to pass under said opening to pick up or discharge a load. The bottom of this temporary storage means consists of a fiat platform 2! mounted above the bridge girders and attached thereto. The platform 27 has downward extensions 28 which overlie the sides of the bridge girder, Beams 8 and/or extensions 29 form the sides of the temporary storage means.

Suitable means are provided for discharging the accumulation of wool or other material from the temporary storage means into the bin directly beneath. When the bridge of the crane passes away from any opening 9, any accumulation in the temporary storage means is scraped off of platform 2'! by the beams or a suitable guard 29 which is secured to and depends from the floor in proximity to one of the sides of an opening 9.

Suitable electrically operated mechanism under the control of an operator in the cab 20 is provided for causing the bridge to travel lengthwise of the warehouse and for causing the carriage upon the bridge to travel transversely of the direction of movement of the bridge. Electrically operated hoisting mechanism including a grapple preferably having cooperating sets of forks is mounted upon the carriage and is. also under the control of the operator in the cab. The electrically operable mechanism for raising and lowering the grapple is mounted in the carriage within the vertical space defined by the upper and lower flanges of the I-beam girders of the bridge. This is an important feature of the invention as it enables such mechanism to occupy a minimum of vertical space, enabling the carriage to be located in close proximity to the floor beams of the upper story and also to enable the carriage to pass beneath the roof carried by the bridge beneath the apertures in the floor through which the sorted wool is dropped. The forks, which are pivotally mounted upon the grapple frame, are operated through electrically driven mechanisms which are mounted upon the grapple frame to swing them about their pivotal connection in suchmanner as to engage and release the material which is to be transported in a manner hereinafter described.

The construction for raising and lowering the grapple, which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 and 6, comprises a pair of suitabb spaced winding drums 30 to each of which one end of a cable Si is attached. The cables pass respectively downwardly beneath and around sheaves 32 upon v the grapple frame, and thence upwardly with their upper ends fixedly secured to therespective girders 23 of the carriage. The drums 3!) are fixedly secured to a shaft 33 which is journaled.

in the end plates 23 and is driven from the shaft of a motor 34 through suitable reduction gearing enclosed in a casing 35. The shaft of the motor is provided with a suitable electrically operated brake 36. The drums, the motor and brake are all within the vertical space between the upper and lower'planes of the side plates l2 and I3 and the: end platesid otthescarriage. frame so that all the mechanisms of the. carriage are within. the minimum. vertical space between the upper and lowerplanes of the I-beams. ofthebridge.

Suitable electrically operated mechanism, which is: mounted on the bridge; is provided, for propelling the carriage. lengthwise oi the bridge and consequently transversely of the: direction of movement of the bridge. In the preferred construction, illustrated. in. Big. 6-,. a. cable a1 is, attached at its respective endsto spaced drums 38 and 3.9 and extends intermediate of. the drums over-similarly spaced sheaves til-and. ail mounted upon. the sideplate 22-. of, the; carriage. The drums at and 33 are fixedly secured. to a shaft 421. which is; by a suitable reversible motor 43 mounted. upon the bridge... A. central. drum 4.4 is rigidly mounted upon the: shaft. 42 and a cable 4.5 extends, therefrom. around a sheave 4B; which. is mounted upon the end girder I5.- of. the bridge (Fig. '1).-, and thence to a spring-backed I-bolt, 41 which is secured to the side plate 2| of the. carriage (Fig. 6). When therefore: the shaft. 42- is rotated, in one direction the: cable 37- will: be wound upon the drums. 38 and, 39 drawing; the carriagelin one direction and when rotated inthe opposite direction will cause the drum- 44 to pull the carriage in. thereversedirection lengthwise of the bridge.

Uusual mechanism well known in the; art is provided for conducting currents of. electricity to suitable switches in. the cab and from said switches, to the: respective motors comprising (1) the motor for causing the; bridge to travel longitudinally of the warehouse; (2:) the motor for causingthe carriage to. travel longitudinally of the bridge; (13).- themotor for-actuating the hoisting mechanism; and, (Kl) the electricmotor for actuating the tines of the grapple. fork, and need not be illustrated in detail in the; drawings except. as to the mechanism for preventing sagging of the section at thecable containing the electric conductors leading to the-motor which drives the hoisting mechanism and. the; conductors of; a branch thereof which. leads; to the motor which actuates the tinesof thegrapplefork.,

In the present construction. as in usual. constructions, a cable, which. ordinarily is contained in. ametallic tube, extends from the switches: in

the cab to a junction boxwhich. is mounted upon the bridge. Conductors. extend, from this junction. box to the-motors which respectively drive the hoisting mechanism and. the. forks or the grapple.

A graphically illustrated in Fig: 5 currents are supplied from a. suitable source of power through suitable conductors in; a. cable 48 to conductor bars 49 carried in a suitable duct which is mounted upon one of the tracks I25 upon which the bridge is: mounted and. extends longitudinally thereof. Contact. members: which engage the respective. barsrare mounted upon the. cab and lead therefrom to the switch. mechanism. in the cab which is suspended from the bridge. A suitable cable, which preferably-is. enclosed in a pipe. (not showno extends. from. the; switch. mechanism 5%! inthe cab toa junction box 5;! which: preferably is mounted on the bridge. girder l3 approximately midway of its: lengtlr a branch of the cable containing the. conductors: leading. to the motors which are carried by the. carriage extends from the switchbox. 5;! to the carriage.

Inasmuch as the carriage travels longitudinally of the bridge. girders the section of cable running from the; junction box Eli to the carriage must be or sufficient length to reach its attach:- ment to the. carriage. when the carriage. is at the most remotepositicn 012 its travel in each direction from. the junction box 51.. When. the carriage is moved from such remote positions toward the junction box 5| the section of the cable in. usual constructions. sags down. in the form of a progressivelylengthening, loop. If. such sagging were. permitted in the present apparatus, in which the; bridge and the carriage travel over obstructions. such as the. vertical partitions forming the walls or the bins, the. sagging. loop of the cable would engage such. obstructions and not only be injured thereby but also might interfere with the proper operation of the crane mechan1sm..

In the present construction as. illustrated in detail in Figs; 4', 5., and 6, the outer lower. flange of the I-beam i3; isprovided with or has attached to it an extensionextending lengthwise thereof having an upturned flange 5.2 and the outer upperflange of the I-beam has similarly extended or has secured to it a plate 53. having a downturned flange 54 complementary to the flange 52 providing lower and upper tracks. for a cablesupporting trolley.

The trolley as illustrated in side elevation and plan in Figs. 5 and 6 comprises a plate 5 5' which has secured to it adjacent each end inwardly projecting stud shafts upon which grooved lower rollers 56 and grooved upper rollers 5'! are mounted to engage and travel along the respective flanges 52 and 54. The plate 55 is provided midway of its length with a stud shaft 58which forms a journal for a grooved pulley 59; The section 6!! of the electric cable is led from the junction box 5| along and is supported upon the lower outer flange of the I-beam l3 of the bridge and passes in the form of a loop around the pulley 59 and extends to and is attached to the inwardly inclined upper end of a U-shaped vertical bar 61 which underlies the lower flange of the I-bcam l3 and is secured to the frame of the carriage. The electric cable extendsfrom such attachment along the U-shapedbar BI and thence is provided with a branch conductor E52 leading to a switch box 63 from which it is connected by a conductor 6'5 to the motor for driving the hoisting drum. Another branch 65 leads to the brake 3% and a third branch conductor leads through a suitable switch box 65 and conductor 66cc through a rotatable connection 61 toan electric cable 68 which is wound upon a springdrum 69 and leads to the motor Ill which actuates the-tines of the grapple fork;

Suitable means are provided for causing the trolley to travel lengthwise of the bridge as the carriage is moved back and forth upon it to maintain such tension upon the electric cable 613 as to prevent the sagging thereof during the movements of the carriage. In the construction ill-ustrated in Fig. 6 the trolley plate 55 is connected preferably through a spiral spring H to a flexible steel cable 12- which is adapted to be wound upon a drum 7-3 which is fixedly secured to the shaft 42', or the cable may be wound upon a spring ac tuated take-up drum of well known construction. The cable 72 is'so wound upon the take-up drum l3 that as the carriage travels away from the drum the trolley will be moved by the tension upon'the electric. cable fill away from the drum at half the speed of the carriage. When the" carri'age is movedtoward the drum the steel cable 12 will be wound uponthe drum F3 and drawthe trolley toward the drum there-by maintaining cally illustrated herein the motor 'lll is of a re- .versible type and actuates a gear pump 14 which alternately supplies oil under pressure through suitable pipes 75 and 16 to opposite ends of coopcrating cylinders TI and 18 which are mounted upon the frame of the grapple and which actuate respectively pistons having piston rods con,- nected respectively to like cross heads is which in turn through suitable mechanism rotate shafts .80 and 3] having complementary arcuate tines 82 and 83 toward and from each other to grasp and release the material. Desirably means are provided for insuring the proper conjoint operation of the shafts 80 and 8| such as sprockets 84 .and 85 around which extend a crossed chain 86 having a slotted link connection 81 through which one of the leads of the chain passes.

In the operation of the system wool is sorted in the upper story of the warehouse and is selectively dropped through suitable apertures 9 in the floor into the respective bins. As the material accumulates in the bin the bridge of the crane is automatically moved under the control of the operator over a bin in which it is desired to distribute the pile of wool or other material evenly throughout the area of the "bin; the carriage is then moved over the pile, the grapple caused to descend under the control of the operator, and the grapple thereupon actuated by the operator to cause the tines to approach each other and gather the mass of the material therebetween. The loaded grapple is then hoisted and the operator by controlling the movement of the bridge and carriage can transfer it to any portion of the bin thereby maintaining a substantial level of material in the bin and insuring complete filling of the bin to any desired height. The grapple either empty or loaded can be moved from bin to bin only when first carried over the aisle, the partitions between the bins being purposely built so high that there is just room for the bridge of the crane only to pass over the partition. If therefore it is desired to transfer the material from one bin to another the operator can manipulate the bridge of the crane: the carriage, and the grapple in the same manner to engage a mass of material in one bin and lift the grapple to a sufficient height to free it from the pile, then cause the carriage to carry the grapple over the aisle and by moving the bridge and carriage deposit it in another bin, or the material may be similarly transferred from any bin to a truck standing in any portion of the aisle. If during the respective movements of the bridge and carriage above described the bridge is positioned beneath an aperture any wool being dropped through the aperture will be held in the temporary storage space above the platform 21 while the bridge is beneath an aperture. Upon movement of the bridge in either direction such wool as has accumulated upon the platform 21 will be scraped off in the manner aforesaid.

By reason of the take-up mechanism for the electric cable during the traveling movements of the carriage sagging of the cable is prevented from engaging the partitions or other obstructions .as the carriage is moved over the partitions betweenthebins.

It will be obvious from the foreging description that the present invention comprises means for transferring wool or other material which can be economically operated, which will avoid the necessity of manually distributing wool or other materials in the respective bins and which-will enable the material'to be transferred from one bin to another or to be loaded conveniently upon a truck placed in the aisle.

It will be understood that while the invention is particularly described herein as for the storage and transfer of'wool, the mechanism may be employed in any construction in which it is-desirableto have the mechanism carried by a crane occupy a minimum amount of space between overhead and underneath obstructions and inwhich it is desirable or necessary'to avoid a sagging cable which during'the movement of the bridge and carriage of the crane will be likely to engage an obstruction or to injure a person employed beneath the path of the carriage of the crane.

It will therefore be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention shown and described herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive of the meaning and scope of the following claims. l Having thus described the invention, whatis claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a warehouse having a lower story for the stor age of portable material and a superposed upper story for sorting the material having a floor provided with openings through which the sorted material may be dropped, vertical partitions'in said lower story extending from a side wall thereof and terminating at such distance from the opposite wall as to provide an aisle along the latter and of such height as to leave such narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions and the floor of the upper story as will prevent the assage of the grapple or cab of a crane therethrough, a traveling crane having a bridge mounted upon suitable tracks to travel longitudinally of the space between the upper ends of said partitions and the floor of the upper story and having a cab for the operator depending into said aisle, a traveling carriage mountedon said bridge movable transversely of the direction of movement of the bridge provided with a vertically movable grapple fork, and 'means under control of the operator for actuating the mechanisms of said crane and fork to transfer masses of said material to different portions of the respective bins and from a bin to a truck located in the aisle.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising 7 a warehouse having a lower story for the storage of wool o like material, a superposed upper story for sorting the'material having a floor provided with one or more openings through which the sorted material may be dropped respectively into bins formed by vertical partitions in said lower story of such height as to leave such narrow space between the upper ends of the partitions and the floor of the upper story as will prevent the passage of the grapple orcab of a crane therethrough, a traveling crane having a bridge mounted on suitable tracks'to travel longitudinally of the warehouse between the upper ends of said partitions and the floor of the upper story, a traveling carriage mounted on said bridge movable transverselyof the direction of movement of said bridge provided with a vertically movable grapple fork, means mounted on or above said nun-s44 bridge for temporarily holding material being dropped through a *fioorsopening so that it will not become tangled in the mechanism of the carriage when the carriage is beneath said opening.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a warehouse having a lower story for the storage of wool or like story for sorting the material having a, floor provided with one or more openings through which the sorted material may be dropped, vertical partitions in said lower story extending from aside wall thereof and terminating at such distance from the opposite wall as to provide an aisle along the latter and of such height as to leave such narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions and the door of the upper story as will prevent the passage of the grapple or cab of a crane therethrough, a traveling crane having a bridge mounted upon suitable tracks to travel longitudinally of the warehouse Within the space between the upper ends of said partitions and the floor of the upper story and having a cab for the operator depending into said aisle, a traveling carriage mounted on said bridge movable transversely of the direction of movement of said bridge provided with a vertically movable grapple fork, and having a platform mounted on said bridge so positioned as to temporarily hold material dropped through a floor open-ing and prevent it from being deposited upon the mechanisms of said carriage when the carriage is beneath such opening, and means under the control of the operator for actuating the mechanisms of said crane and fork to transport masses of said material to dilferent portions of the respective bins or from a bin to a truck located in the aisle or from one bin through said aisle to another bin.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a warehouse having a lower story for the storage of wool or like material, a super-posed upper-story for sorting the material having a floor provided with one or more openings through which the sorted material may be dropped, vertical par-titions in said lower story extending from a side wall thereof and terminating at such distance from the opposite wall as to provide an aisle along the latter and a series of bins and of such height as to leave a narrow "space between the upper ends of said partitions and the floor of the upper story, a traveling crane having a bridge mounted upon suitable tracks to travel longitudinally of the warehouse within the space between the upper ends of said partitions and the floor of the cab for the operator depending into said aisle, a traveling carriage mounted on said bridge movable transversely of the directionof movement of said bridge provided with a vertically movable grapple fork and having a platform mounted on said bridge :50 positioned as to temporarily hold material dropped through a floor opening and prevent it from being deposited upon the mechanisms of said carriage when the carriage is beneath said opening, means for a warehouse having a lower story for the storage of wool or like material, a

material, a superposed upper superposed upper story for sorting thematerial having a floor provided with one :or more openings through which the sorted material may be dropped, vertical partitions in said lower story extending from a side wall thereof and terminating at such distance from the opposite wall as to provide an aisle along the latter and a series of bins and :of such height :as to leave .a narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions :and the floor of the upper story, a traveling crane having a bridge mounted upon suitable tracks to travel longitudinally of the warehouse within the space between the upperend'szofsaid partitions andtheflooroi the uper story and having a cab for the operator depending into said mounted on said bridge movable transversely of the direction of movementof said bridge provided with a vertically movable grapple fork and having a platform mounted on said bridge so positioned as to temporarily hold material dropped through a floor opening and prevent it from being deposited upon the mechanisms of said carriage when the carriage is beneath said opening, guards mounted upon and extending downwardly from the fioorof the upper story and terminating in proximity to said platform for removing the material deposited upon said platform upon movement of the bridge from beneath an opening, and means under the control of theoperator for actuating the mechanisms of said crane and fork to transport masses of said material to differ-ent portions of the respective bins and from a bin to a truck located in theaisle.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a warehouse having a lower story and a superposed upper story, vertical partitions in said lower story of such height as to leave a narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions and the *fioorof the upper story, parallel ways extending respectively along and in proximity to the sides of said lower story above the upper ends of said partitions,

floor of the upper story, parallel ways extending upon the inner lower flanges of said I-beam girders to travel transversely of the direction of movement of said bridge, vertically movable grapple mechanism mounted on said carriage, electrically operable mechanism respectively for actuating said carriage and for raising and lowering said grapple mounted on said bridge and carriage and lying Within the vertical space between the upper and lower horizontal planes of said bridge girders.

aisle, a traveling carriage,

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising a warehouse having a lower story and a superposed upper story, vertical partitions in said lower story of such height as to leavea narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions and the floor of the upper story, parallel ways extending respectively along and in proximity to the sides of said lower story above the upper ends of said partitions, a crane comprising a bridge mounted on said ways and movable lengthwise thereof having deep I-beam girders, a carriage mounted upon the inner lower flanges of said I- beam girders to travel transversely of thedirection of movement of said bridge, vertically movable grapple mechanism mounted on said carriage, electrically operable mechanism respectively for actuating said carriage and for raising and lowering said grapple mounted on said carriage and lying within the vertical space between the upper and lower horizontal planes of said bridge girders, and a roof mounted on the upper flanges of said bridge girders so positioned as to prevent material dropped through an opening in the floor from being deposited upon the carriage when it is beneath said opening.

9. Transporting mechanism for a warehouse having suitably spaced partitions dividing the same into a plurality of compartments and of such height as to leave a narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions and a superstructure of said warehouse, parallel ways in said space extending respectively along and in proximity to the sides of the warehouse, a crane having a bridge mounted to travel lengthwise of said warehouse over said partitions, means for actuating said bridge, a carriage mounted on said bridge to travel at right angles to the direction of travel of the bridge, hoisting mechanism including an electricmotor mounted on said carriage, a power cable having a conductor for supplying an electric current to said motor, anchored to said bridge and having a flexible section at least as long as the distance of travel of the carriage from said anchorage secured to said carriage, means for preventing undue sagging of said flexible cable section during the traveling movements of said carriage, comprising a trolley mounted to travel on said carriage in the directions of movement thereof having a pulley embraced by a loop in said flexible cable section, and means for actuatingsaid trolley coordinated with the traveling movements of said carriage to maintain sufficient tension upon said flexible cable section as to prevent sagging thereof below the bridge of the traveling crane.

I 10. Transporting mechanism for a warehouse having suitably spaced partitions dividing the same into a plurality of compartments and of such height as to leave a narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions and a superstructure of said warehouse, parallel ways in said space extending respectively along and in proximity to the sides of the warehouse, a crane comprising a bridge mounted to travel lengthwise of said warehouse over said partitions, having deep I-beam girders, a carriage mounted upon the in- 12 ner lower flanges of said I-beam girders, hoist ing mechanism mounted on said carriage include ing an electric motor, winding drums actuated thereby having cables supporting a, grapple fork mechanism provided with an electric motor and means operable thereby for actuating the tines of said grapple fork, a power cable, having conductors for supplying electric currents to the respective motors, anchored to said bridge midway of the length of said bridge, and having a flexible section at least as long as the'distance of travel of the carriage in either direction away from said anchorage secured to said carriage with branch conductors leading to the respective motors, means for preventing the sagging of said flexible cable section during the traveling. movements of the carriage comprising a trolley mounted upon the outer flange of one of said bridge girders to travel lengthwise thereof provided with a pulley embraced by a loop in said flexible cable section positioned to cause the lower leg of the loop to overlie the outer flange of the I-beam girder, and means for actuating the trolley coordinated with the traveling movements of the carriage to maintain sufiicient tension upon said flexible cable section to prevent sagging of the upper leg thereof below the lower'flange of said I-beam girder.

11. Transporting mechanism for a warehouse having suitably spaced partitions dividing the same into a plurality of compartments and of such height as to leave a narrow space between the upper ends of said partitions and a superstructure of said warehouse, parallel walls in said space extending respectively along and in proximity to the sidesof the warehouse, a crane comprising a bridge having parallel deep I-beam girders mounted to travel lengthwise of said warehouse over said partitions, means for actuating said bridge, a carriage mounted on said bridge to travel at right angles to the direction of travel of the bridge, vertically movable hoisting mechanism mounted on said carriage, electric motors and means operable thereby for actuating the carriage and hoisting mechanism respectively, a flexible power cable having conductors leading from a source of electricity to the respective motors on the carriage having a section thereof at least as long as the distance of travel of the carriage secured at one end to the bridge and connected adjacent its other end to said carriage with branches of the conductors of said cable leading to the respective motors, means for taking up slack in said cable section comprising a trolley mounted to travel on said bridge lengthwise thereof having a pulley positioned above the lower outer flange of said I-beam embraced by a loop in said cable section and-so positioned that the lower lead of said loop will be supported by the lower flange of the I-beam, and means for actuating said trolley coordinated with the movements of said carriage to maintain sufficient tension upon the cable as to prevent sagging thereof below the lower flange of said I-beam.

ARTHUR M. STEVENS, 

